<I'd laugh, but I realize you're still in pain after Cherry tried to mince you. I'll contact the other two and see what they're up to after doing a bit of grocery shopping for my equipment. Rest well.> *send*
Geezer unbolts the door and departs from the motel. Despite the morning sun rising, the night did nothing to cool down the hot and humid air that remained still throughout the night, the worst sign of a worst kind of a hot and humid sunny day. This put Geezer off the idea of even going to the beach in the first place, figuring that combing the beach to find the needle in the haystack would be a huge waste of time, anyway. He radios his weapons dealer contact and meets him in an ominous alleyway. After a bit of time figuring out what he needs, Geezer thanked the dealer as he purchases the mags for his pistols, and bids him farewell.
Geezer realizes that he has wasted a lot of time for himself that he fears that there might be a chance that Cherry and Frank may no longer be in Miami. He quickly accesses his commlink and sends the message to Billy and Freddy. <Hey, Chibi's still trying to hold together - in more ways than one. Where are you guys right now?>
Billy picked up his commlink as he finished his upteenth soya drink. "Hey Geezer we've been stuck outside the station for a while now, We just spotted Cherry as shes exiting the station, about to tail her, seems shes talking to someone on the commlink though, could be our man. Hows goes the beaching combing, any luck?"
<Chibi decided that she wasn't going to help me with combing the beach, so I decided that it wasn't worth walking several miles to spot that particular grain in the sand. I'm on my way over to your station, providing any backup if Cherry decides to fight back or has backup.> Geez sends the message as he speed-walks over to the station the Germanbound folks are located.
Geezer arrives just as an unmarked black sedan--corporate privacy model, complete with window tinting and sound insulation--pulls up in front of Cherry. The three men watch as Cherry glances around and then gets into the back seat of the vehicle. A moment passes before it starts away slowly, as though the driver is in no rush to get wherever he's going...
Well time to make a discreet tail on that sedan, I figure we better take the bike and follow behind. Although Geezer you might want to take something thatll stop you being noticed.
"Ya. Ve shuld get goin. Vundabahr!" roared Friedrich as he stood up and stretched his muscles. He waited too long to be stuck here.
"Billy, hop on. We vill follow her."
At this point Freddy and Billy head over towards the bike and begin following.
No hits
Physical = 10
Stun = 10
Overflow = 5
Edge = 4 (5 - 1)
"I'm taking the high road," Geezer says to Billy. "Buses and trains will only slow me down with all of their stops, and I have a feeling that the taxis will try to pull a few stunts to gouge my wallet. Keep me posted on the sedan's whereabouts and I'll follow by the rooftops."
Geezer speedwalks to an alleyway in the hopes that he doesn't attract attention. He begins his ascension to the rooftop.
Traffic in Miami is like traffic in any other sprawl--slow and heavy, with a reliance on GridGuide to keep it moving at all. Which means that trying to tail someone without being painfully obvious the old fashioned way in a city that you've only been in for a day or two (on the generous side) was a bit difficult. After a few twists and turns, Friedrich's best efforts to keep eyes on the black sedan end in tears. One wrong turn later, and the vehicle is gone...
Fortunately, Geezer's efforts to take to the skies work a little better. At home in Miami, Geezer knows the rooftops moderately better than Freddy knew the roads. Though they vary in height and make and gaps between each... travel across the rooftops was something he'd practiced in daily. And (unsurprisingly) it was typically faster than relying on GridGuide. Cheaper, too.
At a few points he nearly loses sight of the vehicle as it takes an unexpected turn or a rooftop ends a tad too abruptly, but Geezer does a remarkable job of staying on its tail. As it heads north out of Downtown, it heads through Old Overtown and across New Overtown, still bound northward along the coastline. As the buildings start to get larger and more difficult to duck up, down, and between, you cross into Edgewater's high rise residential blocks of corporate housing...
Friedrich had dodged a city bus...well, it was more like a mechanical whale which had blocked most of traffic. While their safety was ensured, Friedrich lost the tail and nearly cursed himself for the effort.
I have failed my brothers...
He then reared his motorcycle to a side street and began plowing through until he hit another major intersection, hoping to give Billy Chines sometime to contact Geezer and ask if he had any leads.
"Ser William. Contact our comrade. Cherry's carriage has eluded me."
Billy gets on the comm " Drek! Geezer! It seems we have lost the tail, how is it from your point of view?"
Geezer access his 'link's voice chat as he clears a gap. "I"m still behind them! I'm maintaining my distance from them, but the vehicle's heading toward Old Overtown and across New Overtown! I'm right now in Edgewater's high class residential area."
He pauses for a moment, for the reasons of focusing his attention to parkor as well as his concern for the Germanbound folks' whereabouts.
"Tell me you're close to them," he says with a fretful temper.
Billy could hear the worry in Geezers voice "Freddy I don't know how but you got to get us through this blockade, Geezers behind them but not for much longer, they are heading towards oldtown via new town and the Edgewaters high end residence area, floor it!"
"Ya vor!" roared the knight as he twisted the throttle and sped the bike towards Geezer's direction.
3 hits
Freddy wasn't particularly well versed with Miami, but even in his quick look at a map on the Matrix he remembered the district labeled Edgewater. Once an unaffiliated residential district, it had been absorbed and subdivided among a number of corporations looking to house their wageslaves in a somewhat safe corridor. And Freddy had a pretty damn good idea of how to get there. Unfortunately, the security meant that street-dressed Germans packing guns and riding steel steeds stood out like sore thumbs. But that was a matter for later; for now, it was on through Overtown and into Edgewater!
Geezer's extended trek over the increasingly difficult to scale buildings was begining to take its toll. As the Germans worked to catch up, it was up to him to keep eyes on the target. Just as he starts to near empty on his fuel tank, he spots the sedan take a sudden turn and drive into the parking deck for a small corporate housing block. Small was, of course, relative in Edgewater. The building was still nearly twenty stories tall, and likely packed with security mundane or otherwise to keep the wageslaves where they belonged. But at least now you had a location:
The Liebenherr Group.
"I got a location," Geezer says in his commlink as he looks about, seeing if there's any place that doesn't look obvious that could be useful for hiding or infiltrating past the guards.
"Set your destination to an obscure location nearest to the Liebenherr Group in Edgewater. I'll keep a lookout for anything that gets in your way."
The Liebenherr Group building looks as any other corporate dormitory might: twenty stories of borderline cubicle housing for low ranking wageslaves, with mid-level apartments and stretching suites for the elite.
Getting in was as easy as... well, it wasn't. Security at the door was obvious--cameras, guards, and likely a drone or two. Then there was all the stuff you couldn't see. A place like this was likely to have a spider on call for Matrix security threats, a pocket wagemage for astral protection, and a HTR response team sleeping in the basement until the alarm sounds and they came kicking down doors with shotguns and SMGs.
Points of entry that wouldn't get you killed? Well, from his observation point, Geezer could already spot a few. Ventilation ducts were always good, even if they did show up in every trid flick about runners. A bit of stereotype, but tried and true--people had to breathe, after all. The parking garage also looked like it was lighter on security than the front door. A proper corporate car could probably get through on the merit of its own clearance, regardless of who or what was inside.
The point was, though, that it wasn't going to be easy to just stroll inside this building. This wasn't some cheap motel on the wrong end of downtown. This was an internationally recognized AA corp with extraterritoriality status. This was serious. And whatever Cherry was into--whoever this killer was--was equally serious.
Billy got the message and passed it on to Freddy Geezer came through with the location, seems we have them at The Liebenherr Group building. We can probably relax a little now that she isn't in transit. Don't want to give ourself away any more then we are already. Billy could feel eyebrows raising as they motored along the housing blocks. He hoped that the final destination would at least have some place to allow for a quick clothing change. The leather was starting to chaff from the constant vibrations of the motorbike.
"We've got two points of entry into the building; the air ducts and the parking garage," Geezer says in his commlink quietly. "The garage looks like it has lighter security than the front entrance, so we could try to distract the team or attempt to find a corporate vehicle and go in from there. The cars' tinted windows won't give us away to them, but finding the cars and getting into them without setting off their alarms is another story."
"Though, we could try to go in from the ducts. It'll be like a hot knife through butter for me, but I'm not so sure regarding your abilities in espionage, especially the knightly one..."
Geezer's patience for Freddy and Billy to reply depletes completely. What could possibly cause such a delay in response, he wonders? He decides to take matters in his own hands and send messages to James and Chibiko to keep them in the loop.
<James, it's Geezer. I got the location of Cherry. She's in the Liebenherr Group Building in Edgewater, a highly secure high class residential building. Cherry attacked Chibi and I when we tried to warn her about the killer yesterday. We knocked her out, but we found out that she was carrying possessions that could lead her behind bars, including narcoject, a firearm, and f@@*ing arm blades. I suppose you want us to infiltrate the building, but where do you suggest we should go from there?>
He sends the message to James, and accesses a new chatlink to Chibiko. In the mood to playfully annoy her, he begins his message on a patronizing note;
<Hey sweetheart, rest well? :p We got Cherry's location. She's located in the Liebenherr Group Building in Edgewater. Packed full of heat with security everywhere, but I think it won't bother us that much.>
Freidrich was becoming frustrated with each turn and winding alley it took to get to the Cherry's current location - The Liebenherr Group. What made matters worse was that Billy and himself were still in disguises which raised eyebrows from any passerbyer. They couldn't just storm the entrance to raise hell...that would be a quick death. Freddy pulled his bike to the side and had a small conversation with Billy.
"Yavore, that is where Cherry is staying - a garrison by the looks of it. Before we can seige it, wisdom and planning would be in order, wouldn't you agree?"
Geezer came to sudden realization that he forgot an important detail to send to James. He rectifies that immediately.
<Also, Cherry's room at the Black Bull Motel is a bloody mess. We found a severed finger that looks masculine, some surgical tools, and a burner that might have belonged to Frank.>
It takes only a few moments before Geezer and the collective comm channel get a ping back from James. <Cherry's what now? That... that doesn't sound like her at all. Are you sure it was her? And what the drek would she be doing at the Liebenherr Group's residential complex? She's as SINless as you!>
Chibiko rolls over to the sound of her commlink buzzing again. Hours had passed. It was already dark outside. Or late afternoon. It was hard to tell, since her window was trapped in the shadow of several U-Miami buildings. A paper had been shoved under the door. Probably a notice from the RA again.
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she snapped up the commlink and checked in. The twinge of irritation drove away the rest of her restlessness. She didn't feel a hell of a lot better, but at least she was well rested now. Still, there was only one thing on her mind.
<Don't call me that.>
As he presses his back against a chimney, waiting impatiently for the Germans to show up, his commlink buzzes again, followed by another one shortly after. He accesses the chatlink to James and begins typing.
<Let me put it to you this way; We tried to warn her about the killer, and she insisted that she'd be fine by nearly slicing my comrade in two with her armblades. I think even the most below average educated person would know that there's more to Cherry than your average working girl.>
He sends the first message to James and continues the routine with Chibiko.
<Okay sweetie. We're likely going to be regrouping tonight or tomorrow to formulate a plan to infiltrate the building. Will you be healthy enough to take on the task tomorrow?>
There's a noticeable pause between Geezer's message and James' response. <I... don't believe it. She was such a nice girl. I can't imagine her being involved like that... And cyberware? That's news to me! I'd have used that in her trids if knew about it!>
Making a mental note to ruin Geezer's day later, Chibiko rolled off her bed and crumpled up the note in front of her door without even reading it. People who used paper like that should know better than to waste it on her. She'd already done her time learning from books; she'd found the streets far more educational.
<I'm always ready. Tell me where and when and I'll grab my gear.>
Billy wondered about the state of the building, it was worrying that they would have to enter not knowing its layout. anyone have a idea on how to get schematics on the building? Id like a idea of its interior, also any structural points too. Billy wondered if they should build a a little insurance as they entered the building, something with a little boom and bang.
James is the first to jump on Billy's inquiry. He still refrains from joining the commcall with voice, though it's unclear why. His somber tone still manages to shine through in the soft glow of the text whizzing across the Matrix. <Corporate schematics are usually locked up pretty tight for obvious reasons. I know a fellow who could probably get you the public layouts offered up to city management, but it wouldn't include any modifications they've made since it went up a decade ago. He also doesn't come cheap, but... I think if this is what you've said it is, I can front that cost.>
Billy quickly sent a reply back <thanks, the more info the better. Ill see about getting some 'equipment' for plan B, don't suppose you know a place I can stop and shop for stuff like that? If not Im sure the other runners will have some leads.>
Geezer adds Chibiko to the commlink chatroom, keeping her in the loop of the eventual infiltration. He writes back to James.
<We might need a decker to assist infiltrating the building. There seems to be a lot of artificial eyes in the garage. Do you know anyone who can provide decking, or know anyone who knows someone who can?>
A particular decker pops into Chibiko's head. She winces. Not sure if it's from the healing hole in her gut or the aching head she was about to get. <If we need a decker, we DO know someone, Geez. She's, um, a bit of a mess, though. If you can coax her out of her room she'll probably be cheap enough.>
Finally relieved that Friedrich was able to find the slayer's location thanks to Geezer's hard efforts, the Vigilant German Knight suggested it was best to reconvene and share notes.
"Aye, thanks to Geezer's powers, we were able to locate where Cherry's accomplice lays in wait. Unfortunately, it seems to be a corporate complex as I and William were kindly encouraged to leave."
Friedrich remarks how several bored security officers used colorful language and violent displays to scare them off. Maybe their ganger costumes were too successful...
Allowing a moment to pass, Friedrich chimes in once more.
"While I welcome storming any fortification, I do believe we should have a level of finesse to this...sortie. I fear that we shouldn't welcome any extraditionary forces on our backs considering our encounter back in the Flux States." He meant the reason why they had to leave so soon. "Would anyone have any suggestions?"
Leaning back on the couch, Chibiko shrugs. "I didn't get a look at the place, but B&E jobs always easier with some prep work. Ask nicely and throw some nuyen in the right places and you can get the security codes to just about anything. A couple of uniforms, some identification, and maybe a corporate vehicle or two--lots of ways to make it look like we belong." She considered her words a moment, glancing around the crashpad James had arranged for them. It was a nice enough team meeting place and, as far as she could tell, off of any corporate books. "Well, like you belong, at least. I'm a bit... shorter than your average wageslave. I've either got to stay out of sight entirely or find a different way in."
"Point well made, comrade." said Friedrich as he pondered Chibiko's predicament. He turned towards his other comrades hoping for further inspiration.
"Geezer, Billy...any suggestions?"
Billy seemed too preoccupied with James, probably assessing details and costs for the adventure while Geezer was dozing off. Perhaps his drug addled mind.
"Chibiko, looks like we'll need to pool our strength. I do have a suggestion, but it may be just crazy enough. If we are to B&E a corporate compound, why not pose as a residential transfer. We could look like a family and sneak in, have a safe room and alibi. We potentially face less problems if we're to have good ID's and luck."
Billy had been quiet for some time now, he didn't like that this had gone from a simple tailing to possible corporate espionage, this could get both expensive and or deadly pretty quickly if the security in the building was up to scratch. What about getting someone to add a scheduled maintenance on their security set-up so we can drive in and work on the cameras and then the rest of us can get in and sneak about without alerting anyone?
"Sounds like a wise plan, Ser William. However we're forgetting one thing - Chibiko. How is she going to enter the facility without earning the watch of a guard or two?" The Brave knight rubbed his hands together and stretched which earned him a moment of ease.
"I wouldn't worry about me. Like I said, I'm rather good at staying out of sight. With the right papers I could probably talk right past the front door." Chibiko offered a sly smile. "No one looks at kids twice, and I look just the part. Just about the only good part of this whole thing." She gestures to herself, shrugging. "Gets real annoying being denied a drink everywhere you go. But yeah, either's an option. We can even split up, send you two in as whoever while me and Geez slip in somewhere else. Take down the security and split up to find Cherry and her associates. It's a big building, so we'd better have an idea of where to find her before we get there. We won't have all that long before our covers are blown, no matter how well we pull it off."
"If Ser William were to be our social savant, I can take upon the role of a lumbering ox. This may prove to be our monument." said Friedrich as he seized up the group. Chibiko seemed small but a wealth of knowledge and experience teemed from the woman. Despite his drug addled state, Geezer may prove to be a formidable ally should he wrest his personal demons.
Sighing a breath of relief, Friedrich turned to William.
"Then, workers we shall be. Make the necessary calls while Chibiko acquires her friend, the decker."
With a groan, Chibiko slipped off to the side and prodded at her commlink until a familiar face popped up. The bespectacled woman at the other end of the line was as much of a liability as Geezer, if for entirely different reasons. She was unstable and easily provoked, and had absolutely no social skills to compliment the fact she didn't look like a 12 year old filling out the shoes of a competent runner. Still, Stanton was the only decker she knew, and they'd run together before... It was better than nothing.
The commcall rings three times before it's picked up. No one answers, but Chibiko knows Julia's listening in. As paranoid of the outside world as ever. "It's me, relax. I've got a job that needs a bit of your technical skill, if you're interested."
Julia sat in silence for a moment, considering the options. It was unlikely the little one had been compromised, but that didn't mean she was particularly anxious to go back to working with her. They'd have a few sideways runs in their time... The cold metal resting in her eye sockets was a constant reminder of that. At least they came with 20/20 vision, though she'd kept her glasses out of habit.
"Alright," she finally whispers into her commlink. "I'll need the details."
Geezer chips in. "We're at the Liebenherr Group Building in Edgewater, a highly secure residential building. We need to infiltrate it in the hopes of obtaining information regarding a working girl named Cherry. She might have ties to the drek we are being paid to track down and deal with.
The building reeks of security. Cameras, guards, and likely a drone or two in the vicinity. You name it. Though, the parking garage looks like it's lighter on security than anywhere else, but that's not saying much. A corporate car should probably get us through, and this is taken to account since one of our guys is... well, not very convincing when dressing the part of a patrol guard.
We need a decker to get us inside. You think you can handle this job?"
Again Julia pondered the proposition in momentary silence. She hated working with Geezer. He was even more unstable than herself. That was saying at lot. And the details were a bit light. Still, she had been looking for a good way to break in her new deck. It had taken her hours of soul-sucking wageslave work to earn the dough for it... might as well make some of it back.
"Alright, I'm in," she whispers. "But you'd better make this trip worth it... it's much cheaper to stay here. Safer, too. And borderline legal."
Billy overhears Geezer ah excellent work it saves me making the risk of ringing up one of my contacts in Germany, with her help we can get the necessary info and that just leaves us to find costumes and a van. Billy pauses for a moment and a brain wave hits him, He eyes Chibiko up and down then gives Freddy a quick once over yeah this could work, its just daft enough they wont even bother try . Chibiko, I'm going to to suggest something, just bare with me I think though it could work, have you ever heard of the phrase "bring your child to work day?" He does this with his hands spreading out like he's trying to materialise a rainbow from between his palms.
Chibiko glared, expressionless, at Billy's invisible rainbow. This was getting ridiculous. She resists the slowly growing urge to kill the men she was running with. The German even looked so enthusiastic about it. "You're kidding." The least aggressive response she could muster. "Really, don't worry about my entry. I've done this plenty of times." Plenty might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but it was close enough. Probably. "Just get your covers together and I'll get Julia close enough to do her thing. I can meet up with you inside the building and we can find Cherry and her friends. Hopefully we can grab some other intel or something someone wants while we're inside. Extra pocket change is always good."
Friedrich felt confidence portrayed in his comrades as they discussed their options concerning the B&E.
"I think we are ready to proceed."
Billy gave a huff but accepted the mini ninjas decision, still I figure you could have pulled off a cute convincing daughter, Ah vell onto the plan Billy got onto the phone to James and asked him if he could muster up some technicians/security clothing and a possible van. Hopefully that decker lady will be able to get the schedule sorted out for us, she's going to be very useful for this little trip.
Chibiko had no doubt she could pull off the look... even if she was probably twice the man's age. Still, 'cute' was not something she prided herself on. It was just a reminder of her miserable life prior to living in Miami. She settled for offering Billy a simple shrug. "Maybe next time." She hoped not. Even if it was an effective disguise, it was a little degrading.
"Julia's dependable," she continued. "She's a bit of a recluse, but we've worked together before and she's held her own. Just so long as she stays out of any actual fighting. Or talking. She's got a nasty temper and zero social skills."
A moment passes. "Still on the line," mutters a clearly miffed Julia. "Loading up the party van now. On route to the Leibenherr Group's building. Parking down the block a ways."
James chimes in next. "Alright. I'm sending over a package of everything my guys have been able to round up for you. Think of it as a care package from one friend to the next... but I'm going to have to go silent from here out. Can't take the risk of being connected to you if things go south in the Leibenherr Building. I'd be out of a job faster than I could get assassinated! Best of luck. Shoot 'em once for me."
Without another word, James drops out of the commcall. Another ping seconds later signals several files being sent over. The first is a blueprint of the buildings original floor plan--pretty much exactly what you'd expect. Twenty stories tall, three floors of subbasement, a parking deck two and two above-below ground. Access points to the public floors and the utility areas. Security spread across multiple control points. Ventilation appropriate for a full apartment structure. Nearly twenty apartments per floor; less on the higher floors. Top floor only had three supermassive suites. Four primary elevators, one utility elevator, stairs in the cardinal directions. Helipad on the roof, executive and utility access only.
Fortunately, the next file contains the location of a utility van being parked near the building. Contents: two janitorial uniforms, two technical uniforms, two security uniforms. Four moderately passable corporate IDs to stick on them. A box of B&E toys, if you wanted them. Gecko tape and autopickers; the whole shebang.
The very fact that James was able to get all of this together on such short notice was scary. He must have dropped a lot of money on this, and that didn't even include your paycheck. He was serious about this.